The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 84

Chapter 84: LOVE & POISON (8)

‘I can’t see Rachel.’

The overwhelming attention directed at him only startled him for a moment.

Edwin soon adapted somewhat to the atmosphere of the banquet.

He answered all the endless questions, then suddenly realized Rachel was gone.

‘Where did she go without saying a word?’

His expression darkened slightly, and in that moment, the noble girls once again tried to bombard him with questions.

“Stop it already. His Highness looks troubled.”

“Troubled? Since when? We just wanted to get closer, so we spoke to him first…”

The young ladies of the Crowner family turned to Edwin and asked all at once.

“Your Highness, did we trouble you?”

“Ah, no, it’s fine.”

“See, Brigitte? He says it’s fine.”

At her cousins’ words, Brigitte sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Do you think just because he says it’s fine that it actually is? And this is His Highness the Third Prince. Don’t act so casually.”

“Heeii, Brigitte, you’re so mean~ You just want to keep Prince Edwin all to yourself, don’t you?”

“What are you saying! Shut up, you!”

“But it’s true! With such a beautiful prince here, you should’ve introduced him sooner! You’re too much!”

Beautiful?

Edwin scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.

‘Catherine, Brigitte… they both say I’m beautiful. I don’t see it myself though.’

Maybe it was because he had always been called the Shabby Prince since childhood—worse than a mangy horse, pathetic and shabby.

No matter how much he looked in the mirror, he never thought of himself as beautiful.

“Hmph, he’s still just shabby.”

At that moment, a sneering voice came from a distance.

“Right. My father told me not to even acknowledge him if I ran into him.”

“He’s a shabby prince with no backing anyway. What’s the use of getting close? At best, you’ll just get dragged into trouble.”

The ones casting those disdainful looks were none other than the noble boys. They seemed displeased that Edwin had monopolized the attention of all the young ladies.

“…Haha.”

Edwin let out a hollow laugh.

He had heard such words so often that his ears were calloused, yet each time it felt like a scab in his chest being scraped open again.

‘When will I finally be able to hear such words without caring?’

Edwin spent his time mingling between those who welcomed him and those who scorned him. Then, just in time for lunch, the official birthday banquet began.

“Come.”

Empress Melanie gathered the children, who had been scattered enjoying free time, to the table.

At the seat of honor sat the Empress herself. To her right sat Brigitte, and to her left sat the First Prince.

“Tsk.”

The Second Prince Lloyd seemed displeased to be seated next to the First Prince. He clicked his tongue, glaring at Edwin seated directly across from him.

‘His stare burns.’

Edwin gave an awkward smile and averted his eyes, though inwardly he was pleased. Because his seat happened to be right next to Brigitte.

“Let us take this opportunity to sincerely celebrate Lady Brigitte Crowner’s birthday. And I extend my gratitude to all who have gathered here to celebrate with us.”

At the Empress’s short speech, the invited children all applauded.

“At such a fine occasion, the guest of honor must share a few words.”

Melanie gazed fondly at Brigitte.

Brigitte rose with a confident smile.

“First of all, I thank Her Majesty the Empress, my aunt, for allowing me to celebrate my birthday here at the Empress’s Palace. I also thank the princes for attending despite their busy schedules.”

She then looked around the table at the children and smiled even more brightly.

“And I’m grateful to my friends for coming to my birthday banquet. Please eat well and have a wonderful time. That’s all.”

Brigitte gave a graceful bow before sitting down again.

At once, the attendants of the Empress’s Palace busily set down freshly prepared warm dishes onto the table. Everyone showered the banquet fare with praise as they began their meal.

By the time dessert was served, the Empress said once more, “Now, the moment Brigitte has been waiting for is here.”

“Oh, Aunt! I wasn’t particularly waiting for it!”

Brigitte waved her hands shyly, though her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Melanie raised her hand with a smile. “Then, let us bring out the gifts.”

At her words, attendants wheeled out carts piled high with presents. The carts were literally stacked like a mountain with gifts.

“Heavens!”

Brigitte covered her mouth with both hands as she saw the mountain of gift boxes piled high.

“Are all of those my gifts?”

“Yes, they are.”

“To think everyone gathered here thought so kindly of me. I’m truly touched.”

Melanie gazed at her delighted niece with a faint smile. “Go on and open them.”

“Yes!” Brigitte answered energetically and reached toward the pile of gift boxes.

After a moment’s hesitation, she began unwrapping the box placed at the very front.

Despite being birthday gifts for the daughter of the most powerful duke in the Empire, they were no different from the norm.

“Oh my, they’re all so pretty! Thank you, everyone!”

Handkerchiefs, ribbons, shoes, dresses—most were the kinds of things typically given to a young girl.

Of course, they were far from ordinary in quality, being the finest luxury goods that could not be bought with any modest sum of money.

“Then it’s time for our princes’ turn.”

Unlike the nobles, the princes personally handed their gifts to Brigitte.

The first to present his gift was the First Prince, Adrian.

“Happy birthday, Brigitte.”

Along with his brief congratulatory words, Adrian gave her a set of magic books and custom-made magical writing tools.

“A magic fountain pen that records your words as you speak, and an ink bottle that never runs dry.”

Magical items were treasures so rare they were nearly impossible to acquire, no matter how much wealth one had.

The eyes of the gathered noble children grew wide with astonishment.

“What a gift befitting an older brother. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, Brigitte received the First Prince’s gift, who was also her cousin, with a soulless smile.

She shoved the pen and ink case into the gift cart with as much courtesy as possible. It seemed she was not especially fond of it.

It was an act that could be considered rude enough to call treating a prince’s gift as less than trash, but Adrian merely turned his head indifferently, seemingly unconcerned.

“Next is my turn.”

The Second Prince Lloyd immediately lifted his chin proudly as his turn came. He flicked his fingers toward the servant waiting behind him.

“Bring it.”

At the prince’s command, the servant ran off and soon returned with several others, all struggling to carry a massive chest.

“My goodness, is that made of gold too?”

“It looks like it. Just look at that shine.”

As one noble girl said, the chest made of gold gleamed so brightly under the light that it hurt the eyes.

Perhaps satisfied by all the attention and admiration, Lloyd’s face brimmed with arrogance.

“What are you waiting for? Open it quickly.”

At his words, the servants groaned as they heaved open the golden chest’s lid.

“Wow, isn’t that Eastern silk?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen porcelain in person.”

Inside the golden chest were one hundred rolls of the finest silk imported from the Eastern Continent, dozens of porcelain pieces, and several pairs of jewelry crafted from Eastern gems.

“Since it seemed Lady Crowner was interested in Eastern goods, I prepared these. Do you like them?”

His voice brimmed with confidence, as if daring her to dislike it.

Though she usually disliked everything Lloyd did, even Brigitte seemed impressed this time, her eyes widening.

“…Ah, yes.”

She stared blankly at the contents of the chest before quickly lowering her head.

“Thank you, Second Prince.”

Brigitte’s gratitude carried sincerity. Though she disliked Lloyd as a person, she clearly liked the gift.

Seeing her face flush with color, Lloyd’s shoulders lifted high, nearly reaching his ears.

“Now for the last.”

Melanie turned her gaze to Edwin, who had been watching silently, still distracted by the Eastern porcelain.

“What is the Third Prince’s gift?”

“Ah, well…”

Edwin gave an awkward smile at the Empress’s question.

“May I present it later? It seems the servant carrying my gift has briefly stepped away.”

It was a blatant lie.

The gift Edwin had prepared sat quietly in his arms. He was simply too embarrassed to take it out here.

‘Compared to theirs, my gift is…’

Under the table, Edwin clasped his hidden hands together, fidgeting with his fingers.

He glanced at the gifts of the First and Second Princes and lowered his head.

‘I’ll have Rachel arrange to send it separately later.’

Meanwhile, Brigitte saw Edwin lower his head, face red, and gave him a bright smile. “I don’t know how much Your Highness intends to make me anticipate, but waiting is also joyful. So I will continue to look forward to it.”

At her words, Edwin’s face flushed even redder.

The young prince thought of the small jewel box and silk pouch hidden in his arms.

Sage had told him that nothing could compare to his gift, but that didn’t give him much reassurance.

‘No matter what, it’s smaller and fewer than the other princes’ gifts.’

Edwin swallowed hard and lifted his head once more.

‘But where has Rachel gone?’

Before he knew it, his mind was filled with thoughts of his nanny, who still hadn’t returned.